High Cholesterol Facts

High Cholesterol in the United States

In 2015–2016, more than 12% of adults age 20 and older had total cholesterol higher than 240 mg/dL, and more than 18% had high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol levels less than 40 mg/dL.1

Slightly more than half of the U.S. adults (55%, or 43 million) who could benefit from cholesterol medicine are currently taking it.2

95 million U.S. adults age 20 or older have total cholesterol levels higher than 200 mg/dL. Nearly 29 million adult Americans have total cholesterol levels higher than 240 mg/dL.3

7% of U.S. children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 have high total cholesterol.4

High cholesterol has no symptoms, so many people don’t know that their cholesterol is too high. A simple blood test can check cholesterol levels.

Having high blood cholesterol raises the risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death, and for stroke, the fifth leading cause of death.

High Total Cholesterol Levels Vary by Race, Ethnicity, and Sex

The chart below shows the prevalence of high total cholesterol (240 mg/dL or more) among adults age 20 and older in the United States from 2015 to 2016.1

High Total Cholesterol Levels

Racial or Ethnic Group

Men, %

Women, %

Non-Hispanic Blacks

10.6

10.3

Hispanics

13.1

9.0

Non-Hispanic Whites

10.9

14.8

Non-Hispanic Asians

11.3

10.3

Americans Are Making Progress on High Cholesterol

About two-thirds of U.S. adults say they have had their cholesterol checked within the last 5 years.5

Most healthy adults should have their cholesterol checked every 4 to 6 years. Some people, such as people who have heart disease or diabetes or who have a family history of high cholesterol, need to get their cholesterol checked more often.6